Man poses as cop, cheats auto driver

A 50-year-old employee of a private firm was arrested for allegedly posing as a policeman and cheating an autorickshaw driver on Monday.

Charkop resident Ranjan Gangotra has a leather belt with brass buckle with “Mumbai Police” inscribed on it, the police said.

According to the police, the incident took place around 3pm at the Sahyadri Nagar bus stop at Charkop.

On Monday when auto driver Keshri Pratap Singh, 25, was passing by the bus stop, Singh stopped his vehicle and told him that he had flouted traffic norms.

Gangotra asked him to pay Rs 450 to settle the matter or he would drag him to the police station.

“The scared autorickshaw driver handed over the money to Gangotra. Another Charkop resident, Avinash Shinde, saw what was happening and realised that Gangotra was cheating the auto driver. He immediately informed the police. Gangotra’s belt is identical to what the policemen wear with their uniform,” said a senior officer from Charkop police station on condition of anonymity.

The police arrested Gangotra and charged him with cheating. The police are trying to ascertain where Gangotra got the brass belt from and whether he has committed similar offences in the past.